Chapter 112
“Properly?” I scoff, my hands clenching into fists on the desk. “I’ve done nothing but think about this. Yes, Bree has a past, but I’ve seen the way she is with Max, he adores her and so does mom and dad. She is no monster, if she meant us harm she had plenty of opportunities, Damian, you’re being ridiculous, what has she done to anyone here to warrant this hatred you have for her?”
“I don’t hate her… I don’t bloody know her and neither do you!” Damian shakes his head, frustration etched across his face.
“I know her well enough!” I tell him.
“You’re risking everything for a woman we barely know! What if she has a hidden agenda? What if she puts Max in danger?”
“Max is safe here! Safe with her!” My voice rises, anger flaring.
He shakes his head, pacing now, frustration radiating off him like heat from a flame. “We don’t know who she really is! She could have ties to enemies we haven’t even considered.”
“Enemies?” I scoff, the word bitter on my tongue. “You’re being paranoid, Damian. Yes, she has a past, but she’s not a threat.”
“Right?” He stops abruptly, incredulity flooding his features. He goes to argue more but I speak over him.
“Need I remind you I wouldn’t be getting married if it weren’t for you, but you had to run your mouth to mom!” I step closer,
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closing the distance between us, my heart pounding in my chest. “I never intended for any of this to happen, but it has. I‘ ve tried to fight it, but it’s impossible. I care about her, and this wedding–is no longer a sham. And I will marry her.”
“This isn’t just about your mixed feelings, Soren! It’s about your safety, not to mention the field day the media will have and the council, you know the issues this will create.”
“What I feel for her… it’s real. And I won’t deny it because of political consequences or because you’re scared of her.” he scoffs and paces.
“I don’t fear her, Soren I fear for you and your son.”
The silence stretches, and I can see the wheels turning in my brother’s mind, the shock palpable when he stops his pacing abruptly. “You love her.” It’s a statement, not a question.
Damian’s expression falters, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “You love her.”
“Yes,” I confess, my voice falling softer, laced with vulnerability. “And I’ll marry her.”
We stand there, the silence thick between us, both breathing heavily when Damian pinches the bridge of his nose.
“You’re making a mistake, brother. This is going to come back and bite you on the fucking ass.”
“It won’t, now get out of my office. I won’t listen to your nonsense anymore.” I snarl at him.
The sun hangs low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue over
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the castle gardens by the time I can leave my office to find Max and Bree. Laughter dances on the air as I watch Bree and Max play. I watch as Max squeals with delight, his laughter soaring higher than the swing he’s on. Bree leans forward, her hair catching the light, the fading colors of her hair, showing the blonde beneath making me wonder why she dyes it. I can tell by the golden hue her natural hair is more beautiful not that I mind the colors though my mother has commented on them a few times. She laughs and pushes him gently. Every shove sends Max flying into the air, arms outstretched, face alight with joy.
“Push me, higher!” Max calls, his voice bubbling with. excitement.
Bree obliges, her smile radiant as she leans into it, sending him soaring toward the sky. I can’t help but chuckle, the sound rumbling in my chest.
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